When my husband was in the hospital, he would sometimes refer to it as a "hotel." After all, he had breakfast in bed every morning and a call bell to ring for whatever he might need day or night. At other times he would refer to it as a "prison." He couldn't leave when he … Continue reading We Wait for God
In our household, the first Sunday of Advent marks the official start of our count-down to Christmas. So yesterday we lit the first of the four Advent candles at church and put up the first of our decorations at home. Today I usher in this Advent and Christmas season with an excerpt from Holidays for … Continue reading Holidays for the Hurting: A Devotion to Help You Heal
To celebrate Jesus' coming, Mary did not light Advent candles or put up a Christmas tree. Not that there's anything wrong with these things. At church, we're counting the four weeks before Christmas by lighting a candle on the Advent wreath each Sunday. We already have a brightly lit Christmas tree at the front of … Continue reading How to Celebrate Advent like Mary, the Mother of Jesus
In these days of Advent when most everyone I know is thinking about Christmas, this year I have Lent on my mind. In part, it's because Advent and Lent have a lot in common. Just as the weeks of Advent prepare us for Christmas, so the weeks of Lent prepare us for Easter. Historically, both … Continue reading Why I’m Happy to Have a Little Lent in My Advent This Year
When I shared this sermon title with a few people last week, some just laughed. Some probably thought it irrelevant, because after all who among us has ever seen an angel? And yet I’ve heard some fantastic stories. Like the doctor who was called out in the middle of the night by a young girl … Continue reading What (Not) To Do When You See An Angel
A guest post for Mennobytes on the journey of the wise men, and how it reminds me to pause during the busy Advent and Christmas season.
Celebrate Advent with a cookie a day, some Bible devotions and family fun, a contemplative video, plus a poem by Wendell Berry.
April Yamasaki 